Mumbai Crime: Andheri couple tied up with cello tape, looted of Rs 17 lakh

The building in Andheri where the robbery took place

In a daring daylight robbery, four men entered the house of an Andheri-based couple and looted valuables and cash worth Rs 17 lakh at gun and knife-point on Sunday. On Thursday the police detained an accused in a murder case on suspicion of being behind the incident, as he earlier stayed on the same floor as the victims.

Threatened with gun, knives

Ebrahim Sanaullah Chaudhary, 50, stays with his wife Anjum, 45, at Rustomjee SRA society at Andheri East. He has a property investment business. Chowdhury said, "On Sunday at 12.30 pm a man around 30-35 years of age, knocked on our door. I opened the door a little and he told me that he wanted a flat on rent, and gave the reference of a helmet shop in our society. Then he asked for a glass of water and suddenly entered our house with three other men. All were wearing masks for COVID-19. He brandished a gun from his pocket and a knife. The others also had a knife each. Then they tied me and my wife with cello tape in the bedroom and demanded Rs 10 lakh."

Chaudhary added, "I told them I didn't have the money and they started searching the house. We tried to fight back but they hit me with the gun on my hand and head. I later received stitches. They looted the house and fled with our watches, gold jewellery and cash worth Rs 17 lakh."

"We tried to fight with them for nearly 25 minutes but failed to catch them. I furnished the house but forgot to make a safety door," he said regretfully. The couple had been tied up in the bedroom and after sometime when they realised there was nobody in the house, they managed to come out and Chaudhary freed himself and then his wife.

‘Accused captured in CCTV'

Senior Inspector Jagdish Shinde of MIDC police station said, "We registered a robbery case against four unknown people. The accused are captured in the CCTV cameras of the society. We are looking for them."

Another police officer said, "An accused in a murder case from Palghar, recently released from jail, is suspected behind this robbery. He used to stay on the same floor as the Chaudharys and allegedly killed his roommate there for the flat. He has been detained and is being interrogated."